A soldier was killed and four others were injured during an encounter with terrorists along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district today. The Army reported that a “Pakistani person” was also killed in the encounter and confirmed injuries to two soldiers.
Sources suggest the attack may have been carried out by Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT), known for its involvement in multiple attacks before the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan in February 2021. A senior officer described the incident as “an aggressive action and clearly an escalation along the LoC.”
The incident follows a day after ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas,’ when Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a stern warning to Pakistan, asserting that the Indian Army would overcome every terror challenge.
In a statement on X, the Army mentioned an exchange of fire with unidentified personnel but did not explicitly name the Pakistan army or terrorists. “There has been an exchange of fire with unidentified personnel at a forward post in Kamkari, Macchal Sector on the Line of Control. One Pakistani person has been killed while two of our soldiers have suffered injuries and have been evacuated. Operations are in progress,” the statement read.
Earlier this week, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi visited the LoC in the same area to review the preparedness of the forces in dealing with infiltration and terrorist attacks.
Amid rising terror incidents, Prime Minister Modi chaired a review meeting last month to assess the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. He discussed the situation with Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, receiving a comprehensive overview of the security situation in the Union Territory and the counter-terrorism operations being undertaken by the armed forces.
PM Modi also spoke with Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who briefed him on the efforts of the local administration. The Prime Minister has instructed authorities to deploy the full spectrum of the armed forces’ counter-terror capabilities.
